Little Secrets is the kind of thriller that makes you run late or stay awake much longer than you planned - one more chapter, just one more, I have time to fit one more in!

I went into this without knowing anything about the plot. I had enjoyed the author’s previous book Jar of Hearts and had seen some positive reviews - and that was all I knew. If possible, I think it’s better to go in without knowing much of the plot.

At the very start of the book, Marin is at Pike Place Market with her 4 year old son a few days before Christmas. It’s very crowded and they are both hot and tired and ready to be finished. Marin lets go of his hand for a couple seconds to reply to a text...and when she looks back down, he’s gone.

From there - this story will keep you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what’s going to happen next. I also loved the writing and there were a number of sections I highlighted for the way they were written. Early on I figured out what ended up happening - but there were still things I didn’t see coming and it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of this read. Highly recommend if you love thrillers!

Thank you to Minotaur and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

Content warning: missing child, suicide, domestic violence

Shortest Summary Ever: Marin and her husband Derek have the perfect life - money, great careers... but it all changes in seconds when their 4 yr old son is gone. Vanished. Kidnapped. As time moves on, Marin stands still stuck in a world of “what if...” and when she learns that everything she thought was perfect may be blowing up in her face? Boom!

Scrappymags 3-word review: Intrigue and Betrayal!

My thoughts: Uh boy ... this is a tough one - in odd cases I’ve encountered this where I loved the story, BUT hated the I’m-supposed-to-be-smart-but-do-dumb-things protagonist. Marin is wealthy, beautiful, has celeb clients in her hair salons and has an idyllic life that promptly blows up when her son disappears. She had my sympathy, and in fact I think some of the best parts were showing how a couple would survive something so tragic, but then (without spoilers) she learns things and behaves in a way that an intelligent woman WOULD NOT... example: you want to engage in something highly illegal I. Which you are CERTAIN to be investigated? You don’t text your BFF about it. ID Channel 101.


And that kind of wide-eyed “oh but I’m so pretty" naivety grated on my nerves. And Derek? Straight up douche. Not an “I’m in grief” douche who seeks some action with another woman, but an "I cheated on my wife when she was pregnant” award-winning grand champion blue ribbon douche. However - I’m not supposed to like every protagonist and the story engaged me - kept me turning the pages. My intrigue was piqued and revelations were well done. It’s a paradox, but because the story was paced so well, I suspended some disbelief and went with it... and was entertained.


All my reviews available at scrappymags.com

Genre: Mystery/Contemporary

Recommend to: The mystery folks who can suspend a little disbelief, have a like for material things, etc

Not recommended to: cozy mystery folks or the opposite - gritty mystery... it’s a contemporary in-between. Avoid if you can't tolerate improbable weak female leads or "poor little rich girl" moments.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (a definite fave!) and Jennifer Hillier for this ARC. Happy to provide my honest review.

Little Secrets is a fantastic take on the abducted child thriller, dealing with more than just an abduction. It delves into grief, into how we deal with loss, and has a cracking subplot about what it's like being "the other woman." I loved, loved this, so much that I even read it as I was in the ER (after my heart stabilized and yep, all fine now) And the big bad? Holy sh*t, I should have seen it coming but I didn't and I was left almost as bewildered as Marin, the mc. I did find the ending a little too neat but sure enjoyed the mayhem and mystery along the way. Recommended.

I was granted this novel from Netgalley as an eARC. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.

I started this late Friday night, binge read it Saturday, and finished it around 1AM Sunday.

This book is compulsively readable. The twists are exciting, and there are certain things you think you've figured out only to have the rug pulled out from beneath your feet.

However, despite all of this, I found parts of this book overly predictable, and despite thinking one thing I usually had it figured out by the time the was truth was revealed. I also got vibes from a book I had read previously despite the large amount of differences in plot and character's motives.

Overall, this is a good book. A good introduction to domestic thrillers for those looking to jump into this genre.

Before picking up Little Secrets, I was coming off of a dark romance binge so this was a highly anticipated and much needed break to get back into my bread and butter; psychological thrillers.

No matter the genre (except for maybe literary fiction) I am the kind of reader that must binge read. I never want to forget plot details, specific traits about characters or even how the book makes me feel. These are important details that add to my enjoyment of the story.

That said, Little Secrets, turned me into an emotional mess. One chapter I am grief-stricken to learn that a mother’s worst nightmare has come true and I immediately can sympathize with Marin’s pain, and in the next I am white-hot angry to find out about Derek and McKenzie Li––the other woman. I cannot blame Marin for the feelings or thoughts she even has. She has lost her precious child and fears she is losing the only other connection to him that she has; her husband.

As this story unfolds, Marin is faced with choices that no one ever believes they will have to make. Between a husband-stealing mistress, attempting to reconcile a marriage, the never-ending mystery behind a missing boy, and a “fixer” who can solve at least one of those problems, Marin begins to unravel and is tempted to make a decision that could end at least some of her pain.

I found this story to be so emotionally triggering, and it truly can be for any mother to live through this kind of trauma in Little Secrets. Though I am not a mother, I found myself feeling traumatized and it is quite a feat to create those feelings in your readers. Jennifer Hillier narrates this book through such a scope that evokes such suspenseful and emotional disturbance that it makes it impossible to stop reading. Though I was able to hypothesize the twist and ending, I still found great enjoyment in the writing and the unfolding of such a dark and disturbing tale of heartbreak, mystery, and betrayal.

This is the first book of Jennifer Hillier’s that I have ever read and I have no clue why! After completing Little Secrets it surely will not be the last.

I received a free e-copy of Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier from NetGalley for my honest review.

A brilliant and deeply dark story of relationships, marriage and motherhood. This book is a must read. A twisted, roller-coaster of a ride that is written to perfection.

This story follows a woman who is dealing with the loss of her son who was kidnapped months before. There are marriage problems, money laundering, ransom requests, and the most obvious is the child that is missing. Is he dead or alive? Is he ever going to be found? Who took him and WHY?

This was my first Jennifer Hillier book and let me tell you, it did not disappoint me. I loved the fast paced way she wrote and how with each chapter my mind was blown. At one point I literally put my hand to my mouth in complete shock of what I had just read. This book is EVERYTHING that I needed to read. If you are in a slump, trust me, this will get you right out of that. From the very first page I was completely intrigued. There was not one slow spot in this book and that is very rare to find. I could NOT put it down and stayed up way too late finishing it last night. It is amazing and YOU need to read it.

For a parent nothing can be worse then having a missing child.
What is does to an relationship. Not many marriages survive that kind of situation. The feeling of quilt can be overwhelming and most often they are not able to talk about it with their partner. I don't feel must sympathy for woman that hang on to their husband and fully put the blame with the mistresses but I realize that some woman are like that. The author did a terrific job in describing the emotions of all the characters involved. Husband and wife, the support group and various friends. The story was realistic and well written. You will not want to put it down till the end.

My very first gifted copy of an unpublished book to read and review. A huge thanks to #netgalley #stmartinspress #minotaurbooks for the opportunity to be a part of this reading community. This book has been on my radar for awhile and I'm so happy I finally read it. A 5 star read for sure! Published date is April 21. Definitely put this on your list!
Marin and her hubby had the perfect life until their son is kidnapped. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear how desperate measures can be taken even by the most "normal" of people. The alternating perspectives between Marin and her husband's mistress is interesting and keeps you guessing. The twists at the end are what makes this story a fantastic thriller. This was a quick read that I just had to finish! Another great story from author of Jar of Hearts #JenniferHillier

Jennifer Hillier is quickly becoming one of my favourite thriller writers. Jar of Hearts was great, so I was excited to be given the opportunity to receive an ARC of Little Secrets. The plot was well-paced and offered twists and turns I didn't see coming. Even if Sebastian weren't found by the end, I still would've enjoyed the story.

You guys, I’ve been in a thriller slump for a while and have been reading other genres for a change. But I got an advanced copy of this thriller and should have read it the moment I got it. Holy smokes! I absolutely devoured this one in just a couple of hours! I could not put this one down and I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to either.

If you love thrillers, you’ll definitely want to add this one to your TBR list. And do it now! This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last. This book has all the feels…sadness, anger, rage, jealousy, desperation, betrayal and so much more.

It only took 480 seconds for someone to kidnap Marin and Derek Machado’s four-year-old son, Sebastian. They seemingly had the perfect life…Marin and Derek were college sweethearts and both running their own highly successful businesses. But when Marin discovers Derek has been having an affair with a woman who may have taken their son, she does everything she can to get some answers.

I loved, loved, loved this book! As a mother, I felt deeply connected to Marin’s character and my heart ached for her. The author did an incredible job with all of these characters.

Make sure to purchase your copy when it releases on Tuesday! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for and early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Marin seems to have it all: a wealthy, successful husband and business, and a wonderful young son. Until it is all gone. Her son’s sudden abduction at the mall plunges her into deep depression and an emotional downward spiral. She hires a P.I. to look into his disappearance after the cops’ interest dwindle with only cold leads - only to find out her husband is also having an affair with a young barista named Mckenzie. Leaning on her best friend Sal to get through this betrayal, she dives deeper into investigating this woman and her intentions and if she could possibly know what happened to her son, Sebastian.

My Review:⭐️⭐⭐⭐/ 5 stars

I read this without reading about the summary and what a roller coaster this book was. I thought it was going to be about a mother’s journey to find her kidnapped son. It is SO much more than that. I loved reading from the POV of the mistress, McKenzie, and her own tragic journey in life to get by. This book constantly had me trying to guess what was happening, but pleasantly surprised by the twists. Marin is living through her worst nightmare as her world is crumbling and reading about her struggle with suicide was heartbreaking. I highly recommend it!

This book did NOT go the way I thought it would. I was expecting to read a thriller and although part thriller, Little Secrets ultimately sheds like on the way that people grieve and compartmentalize, and highlights the complexities of class.

Marin Machado is a rich salon owner, married to the UBER rich Derek and mom to 4 year old Sebastian. When Christmas shopping at Pike's Place, Marin lets go of Sebastian's hand and he disappears. Later, security footage shows Sebastian being walked off by a Santa Claus and vanishing into a parking garage. 16 months later, Marin is a shell of herself, contemplating suicide (and trying) multiple times, distancing herself from Derek and her friend Sal, and torturing herself with thoughts of what happened to Sebastian. Until a PI she hired to search for Bash finds out that Derek is having an affair with 24 year old McKenzie. And then the wolves came.

The beginning is heart-wrenching for anyone, but really unthinkable for parents. As mother of a 3 year old, the first 10 pages outlines my worst nightmare. I was worried about diving into this book, because I thought the search for Sebastian would be the focus. But it isn't. The focus is definitely Kenzie and Derek. For the record, Derek is trash. I understand the people deal with tragedy and grief in different ways, but cheating spouse is literally my least fav trope. I wish Derek had a bit more charm because I just hated him the entire time, and hated him even more as the book went on. Then there is Kenzie - at first the reader dislikes her because she is with Derek when she knows he's married. But as you start to get to understand Kenzie, it is much harder to dislike her because she is quite literally the result of years of abandonment or poverty. She does what she has to do to survive, and I may not like it, but you start to understand the complexities of her character. Kenzie makes a great comment about women not being the homewreckers, the men are, and I truly loved that.

I was surprised to find so much of the book revolve around class: Derek/Marin are rich and have all the privileges that come with that, especially with the avenues they can explore when Bash goes missing. Kenzie is struggling to make ends meet, supporting her mom while in grad school, and there is an interesting dichotomy between what she does to survive (hook up with a married man) and what Derek and Marin too (not adding because SPOILERS). There's a couple wild twists that shocked me, and the ending was a really great wrap up that I wasn't expecting.


*ARC received from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.

Although most of the characters were unlikeable this is a great thriller. Marin pain of losing her child felt so real it made me feel sorry of her her husband on the other hand... very well written and enjoyable.

OMG!!! This has to be one of the best thrillers I’ve EVER read. Marin and Derek are self-made millionaires and their son has been kidnapped. Marin is a wreck and her relationship with Derek is in shambles. 16 months later, their child is still missing and she finds out that Derek is having an affair. Now she has two things to contend with. This book is a whirlwind of twists and turns....a rollercoaster of emotions. Just when you think you know what happened, another secret is revealed. Get ready for the shock of a lifetime! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in return for an unbiased review.

Jennifer Hillier has done it again! Little Secrets is a fast-paced and gripping thriller filled with so much emotion, tension and suspense. This dark and twisty book sucked me in from the very first chapter and didn’t let go until the final page.

Four minutes. That’s all it took to steal a child. A lollipop, a Santa suit, and two hundred forty seconds.
One day, all those balls will drop, and they won’t just break. They’ll shatter.
Rage, on the other hand, will get shit done.

What would you do if your child was taken from you? In the middle of a crowded market just a few days before Christmas? This is the life Marin and Derek have now. In broad open daylight, in a crowded market, their little four year old boy, Sebastian, was taken from them. He was last seen walking out an exit with a lollipop in one hand and holding Santa’s hand with the other. What they go through is nothing short of hell. Marin would do anything to turn back the clock and redo that day. She wakes each day planning on dying. She doesn’t think there is any reason to continue living without her baby.

What happens in this story will make you cringe in many ways. Hold your breathe. Pray for something to happen that will give Marin and Derek closure. To bring their son back to them. They had always had a great marriage. Filled with love and respect for each other and they went through a lot to have their son. He was their pride and joy. The light in their lives. Both were successful in their careers. Both worked hard to have the life they had. And both loved Sebastian more than life. Marin’s life is put out there for you to see. The full terror she lives with each day. The horror, pain, heartbreak, blame. She lives her life in constant heartache. Derek deals with things a bit differently but he is still hurting so much too.

They both have secrets that they have kept from each other. Things they just can’t share. Each has a part that they keep well hidden. But somehow some truths will come out. Some will be very painful. It’s up to you to judge whether what they did was understandable. How they dealt with things in their lives were forgivable. To me, I have to believe that they did the best they could given the circumstances. They were both going through the same heart wrenching pain.

There are things going on that will make you want to smack someone. Yell at someone to see what is going on right under their nose. The characters in this story are all likable. All relatable. Even the other woman is somewhat likable. The best friend is likable and the fixer...

I absolutely found myself so absorbed in this book that I could not put it down. It had me from the very beginning. The author did an exceptional job here. In all it was told in such a realistic way that you felt it. In your deepest parts you will feel it. The tears will definitely flow. Big ugly tears. It’s a very good story of the love of a mother for her son.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #St Martin’s Press, #Jennifer Hiller for this ARC. This is my own true review.

I gave it 5 stars and the highest of recommendation... I LOVED IT!!

Whoa. The secrets in this one are anything but little. This is my first Jennifer Hillier book and I now want to also devour all of her others. Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion. Marin and Derek experience the unfathomable tragedy of their child going missing. The story evolves from the day Sebastian goes missing and contains ALL THE SECRETS. I won’t say much else specifically in order to not ruin the plot twists but DANG. I didn’t see any of it coming. I did feel like a small section of the middle of the story dragged a little bit but it kicked back up and I was just hooked. Highly recommend! Four out of five stars.

Wow, this one was a wild ride. The very first scene of this book was SO hard to read - having your child taken from you pretty much right in front of your eyes is quite possibly the most horrific thing I can think to have happen to a parent, so having that scenario start the book was absolutely terrifying and kept me turning the pages like a madwoman. After that super strong start, the mystery became less intriguing to me and I actually guessed some of the reveals - and I’m not usually a good guesser when it comes to solving mysteries. That plus the cheating trope limits me from giving it a rating any higher than a 3, but I can see why this book is creating so much buzz so far and I don’t think most fans of domestic thrillers will be disappointed.

In this well written, highly anticipated psychological thriller we find Marin struggling to keep it together sixteen months after her son "Bash" is kidnapped right out from under her nose while Christmas shopping and being told by her PI that her husband is having an affair. Marin and her husband Derek are both very successful business people and both are keeping secrets from each other. Their marriage was on the rocks before the discovery of the affair but now Marin has a place to direct her anger, right on the mistress, Kenzie. Kenzie's a woman who dates rich men for everything she can get from them but she wasn't supposed to developed feelings for Derek. You think you know where this is going but the twists and turns keep you off balance as more and more of the story is revealed. The writing is fluid and accessable and the plot is cleverly laid out. The characters are well developed and relatable, even when their motives are questionable. At times emotional, this story grabbed my attention at the start and kept me invested until the satisfying reveal and conclusion. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it to those who enjoy this genre and want an escape from the current situation for a while.

Thank you Minotaur, St Martin's and NetGalley for granting me an ARC to read, review and enjoy.